400 Whelen Finished

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Made it back out to the range yesterday and checked the new loads

400gr Aframes with AA2230 2175fps
400gr woodleigh with AA2495 2170fps

So I now have softs worked out and the solids are hitting within 3/4 in of the softs so I now have some working loads to work with.

@AZDAVE
You have to love it when a plan comes together.
Bob

 

[TOBY458]

I wonder how well a Model 70 would convert to 400? Did you have to modify the feed ramp or rails on your Mauser?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I wonder how well a Model 70 would convert to 400? Did you have to modify the feed ramp or rails on your Mauser?

@TOBY458
Mate just get a,Stevens 200 cheap. It's got a center feed with staggered box. Feeds like a new born baby. Get an MAB barrel, competition recoil lug or square up the original and a rifle Basix trigger and you will have a very accurate 400 Whelen that feeds like silk.
Bob

 

[TOBY458]

@TOBY458
Mate just get a,Stevens 200 cheap. It's got a center feed with staggered box. Feeds like a new born baby. Get an MAB barrel, competition recoil lug or square up the original and a rifle Basix trigger and you will have a very accurate 400 Whelen that feeds like silk.
Bob

I'm sure that would work just fine. I just have an affection for the Model 70.

 

[AZDAVE]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen well I have the 400gr bullets sorted and the rifle easily met my goals for having a 450/400 ballistics level in a bolt gun. now I have some 350gr bullets I will work with to see how they will perform.

@TOBY458 any long action (270-30/06) model 70 will be very easy to convert to a 400 Whelen. Mine is built on a standard 98 mauser action. if my memory serves me @Milehighshooter built his 400 on a M70 action.

 

[AZDAVE]

Made it back out to the range and was able to meet my goal for 350gr softs of 2300fps or better. Swift Aframes at 2320, I have more room pressure wise but why push. The 350gr CEB solids wouldn't feed correctly, so I will work with seating depth and see if I can get them to work. The speeds were on par with my Aframe loads.

 

[CoElkHunter]

It simply amazes me how one can get those velocities with a 400gr bullet out of an ‘06 case? I guess that’s why the wildcats fascinate me. Great looking rifle and cartridge!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

It simply amazes me how one can get those velocities with a 400gr bullet out of an ‘06 case? I guess that’s why the wildcats fascinate me. Great looking rifle and cartridge!

@CoElkHunter
It amazes you the velocity I get out of the 35 Whelen as well but to great men that have a desire to experiment make @AZDAVE and myself all things are possible.
They say fortune follows the brave but I don't know I'm still waiting for my fortune.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
It amazes you the velocity I get out of the 35 Whelen as well but to great men that have a desire to experiment make @AZDAVE and myself all things are possible.
They say fortune follows the brave but I don't know I'm still waiting for my fortune.
Bob

Bob,
I don’t know if you’ll ever find your fortune, but you surely are a brave “soldier of misfortune” here on AH. Ha! Ha! Ha!
CEH

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
I don’t know if you’ll ever find your fortune, but you surely are a brave “soldier of misfortune” here on AH. Ha! Ha! Ha!
CEH

@CoElkHunter
Mate I have a fortune.
A beautiful wife to love and who loves me
A great son that I can hunt with, that I am proud of as well as a daughter who became a doctor that I'm proud of
A few real friends
The opportunity to share my experiences with others and learn from them.
So as you can see I am a very rich man just not in monetary terms but in terms that to me will forever make me a wealthy man.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
I don’t know if you’ll ever find your fortune, but you surely are a brave “soldier of misfortune” here on AH. Ha! Ha! Ha!
CEH

@CoElkHunter
I don't know about a soldier of misfortune but I do have the Midas touch in reverse at times.
At times everything I touch turns to crap but it could be worse.
I could be forced to hunt with a 243 or manbun, but that's not hunting that's suffering. That would be worse than misfortune.
I would prefer to take a long walk in a shot paddock than subject myself to such humiliation.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
Mate I have a fortune.
A beautiful wife to love and who loves me
A great son that I can hunt with, that I am proud of as well as a daughter who became a doctor that I'm proud of
A few real friends
The opportunity to share my experiences with others and learn from them.
So as you can see I am a very rich man just not in monetary terms but in terms that to me will forever make me a wealthy man.
Bob

Very well said Bob. And your “misfortunes” of having shoulder and foot surgery and owning a .35 Whelen instead of a .338WM, will/can be overcome with time. Time heals most/all things.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Very well said Bob. And your “misfortunes” of having shoulder and foot surgery and owning a .35 Whelen instead of a .338WM, will/can be overcome with time. Time heals most/all things.

@CoElkHunter
The Whelen is 40 odd years older than the wimpy 338 wimpchester supposed magnum. Even Winchester usual bullshit has failed to equal a properly loaded Whelen.
Yes you are forgiven for not having a real 35 Whelen and settling for the 338. Some one has to use second best and it sure ain't WHELEN USERS. We use c.f. real men's guns.
Bob.

 

[bruce moulds]

a daughter who is a doctor.
there is your fortune in old age.
bruce.

 

[Milehighshooter]

I wonder how well a Model 70 would convert to 400? Did you have to modify the feed ramp or rails on your Mauser?

mine was built on a 70 Classic, previously a 25-06. easy conversion

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

mine was built on a 70 Classic, previously a 25-06. easy conversion

@Milehighshooter
You have the perfect switch barrel for Africa. A 25 ought six for a lot of OG with a 100gn ttsx and a 40 cal for everything else.
Bob

 

[Nevada Mike]

Nice rifle, Dave. Glad you finished it. Now you need to shoot it.

 

[Sabattiboy]

In the late 1980's when I was contemplating a bigger bore cartridge for a partly sporterized 03A3 I considered the 400 Whelen but the information I found at the time said it was not recommended by Whelen because of too little shoulder to headspace off of. I created a 300 wm/375 instead.
Decades later I read an article that said there were more then one chambering reamer for the 400 with the one cutting a larger shell body diameter, or I should say less taper, thus creating more shoulder to headspace from.
If I had found a Gunsmith that knew this about the 400 I might have went for it.
I guess neither choice would be a standard cartridge today.

 

[Tam Dl]

Dave, having seen some of your previous rifles, this one comes as no surprise. By that I mean another stunning rifle. Being a staunch 35 Whelen fan myself, I'm curious to see what the 400 Whelen offers compared to the 404 Jeffery(s) already in my safe.

They offer perfect bookends to a 9.3x62. Not that that should quash anyone's fun.